


Sun Return

by Heichous_Poncho



Series: Sith and Sidhe [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 2019 Ereri MiniBang, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Curses, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Eren Yeager, Gabi and Eren are related, M/M, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Related, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-05-13 15:17:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19253806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heichous_Poncho/pseuds/Heichous_Poncho
Summary: Between the rocky seashore and the wooded forest lay an old village. Its traditions mostly ignored, its people live peaceful lives.At least, that’s what it seems like.Here in this land, ancient magic is everywhere at hand. The wisps that light the dark paths at night, the faeries that dwell in the forest, and those the eldest villagers are too scared to speak of, the Good Folk...Not all have ignored this magic. But not all have been kept safe in their practice. Ah, the poor Ackerman clan...perhaps their young Levi can change their fate.(THIS STORY IS NOT CONSENTED TO BE POSTED ANYWHERE OTHER THAN ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN.)(A Celtic lore! Universe in which Levi is about to discover rather intimately the forces that curse his family)





	1. Transformations

**Author's Note:**

> This is my little baby for the 2019 Eren/Levi Mini-bang!
> 
> I had a great time working dinklebert for this event! CHECK OUT THEIR AWESOME ART: https://dinklebertarts.tumblr.com/post/185984285839/so-i-had-the-pleasure-of-being-paired-with

She was a witch.

Or so they never said.

 

Magic flowed through their family.

Or so she never said.

 

 _"_ Sleep well, baby. It’s not every year you turn nine years old.”

That was the last thing she said.

*  *  *

 

Levi blinked his eyes open before narrowing them again. The sunlight was shining directly into his eyes. He let out a groan and rolled over, turning away from the sun. Sweetness filled his nose. A breeze blew the fragrance of Meadowsweet and Honeysuckle from their little jar in front of the window.

Smelled like home, like _her._

Levi pushed himself up and pulled the handwoven white blanket away. It was already rather warm today. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He had to go replace the dried-up sprigs in the jars around the house before heading into town to open shop. But first, he just wanted to relax and listen. The cottage was silent, per usual, but with all of the windows open, he could hear the breeze wind its way through every room, jostling metal trinkets and sighing softly. He could only just make out the sea crashing against the rocky shore in the East, far below them all. Closer were the birds, singing their songs in the trees surrounding his home.  

 

_“Listen hard, my little one. You’ll always hear more than you can see. From this place, everything you see and hear is our home.” She was carrying him on her hip, smiling as she brushed the hair from his eyes._

_“Even the forest?” he asked, eyebrows raised and furrowed._

_“Even that,” she said and looked out to the woods again. “But it’s not only our home. Magic dwells here too. You have to remember that and be respectful when you walk through here. Promise?”_

_“I promise, Mamaí.”_

Levi sighed and blinked out of his trance. Like her, magic wasn’t here. At least, not anymore. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, stepping onto the warm oak floor. The shop wasn’t going to open itself. He padded over to his closet and quickly changed into a white tunic with gray pants and gingerly lifted his green cloak off its post. His sewing was decent but nowhere near where it should’ve been for his age. If he made a noticeable tear, all the townswomen would shake their fingers and try to push him back into another year of school.

Running some fingers through his hair, Levi deemed himself ready. He left his bedroom and walked into his small kitchen. Before doing anything else, he snagged three elder tree leaves from the bowl on the table and walked back into his bedroom. The leaves were supposedly a form of magic that brought sleep and protection. His mother was always sure to place fresh leaves each day at dusk on her pillows and taught Levi to do it himself. No one else in town followed the tradition, or believed in it, all that much. But Levi still found himself in the habit, only now he did it in the morning.

Once the bed was made and leaves adorned the pillow, Levi left to ready his lunch. In the kitchen, he tossed some elderberries, apples, strawberries, and a loaf of bread together in a sack before tying it off with some rope. He didn’t eat too much during the day, and Hanji would probably bring some butter and wine to finish off the meal when she inevitably came to bother him. Levi’s lips twitched to form a slight smile and fastened his cloak around his shoulders. With his free hand, he grabbed the sack and threw it over his shoulder. Anything else he’d need was at the shop.

After one final look around, Levi made his way out the door and onto the path to town. He didn’t bother locking it; no one ever ventured into their part of the woods. Nature sang its song around him as he walked along the path of downtrodden grass and scattered stones. Twenty paces, then turn right at the fork. He adjusted his sack of fruit on his shoulder and continued forward, twigs snapping under his feet.

The sun shone through the little gaps between tree branches, illuminating pockets on the path. He liked it; it made the path look so beautiful during the day and almost magical at night, whenever the moon was full—the watch of the Mother Goddess. But for now, the slight breeze rustled his hair, like fingers carding through it.

Levi jolted away from the touch. He stumbled forward, clutching onto his lunch sack. One foot caught the edge of a stone, and before he knew it, he was tumbling to the ground.

“Ah, shit,” he said as he lay sprawled on his back in the dirt. Sitting up, he brushed the dirt from the front of his tunic. Hopefully, the back wasn’t too dirty.  

Levi scrambled to stand up, beating the dirt from his pants as well. Who’s hand was that? He was the only person who lived this far out in the forest, it couldn’t have been another villager. Wait, crap! Where was his lunch sack? He looked around for the little bag. Midsummer was tomorrow; everyone was going to be at the shop today, demanding their flowers. He wouldn’t have time to walk home to grab a new lunch. He groaned lightly tugged on the ends of his hair. Dammit. Levi walked over to some bushes off the side of the path and pried them apart. A few paces behind the bush laid his lunch sack, the tie still intact. Lucky guess. Levi grinned and left the path to grab it.  

The breeze blew again, this time colder. The sun’s rays didn’t filter through the treetops here, darkening all in the tiny clearing except for the lunch sack.

But Levi didn’t notice.

Instead, he made his way to the bag. How did it even get out here? He was sure he clutched the sack as he fell…  Well, it didn’t really matter now, did it? He grabbed the sack off the ground and double checked the tie. It really was secured. He tossed the sack over his shoulder again and glanced around. Which way had he come in again? The flora didn’t look too familiar… Oh! Levi squinted. There was something bright a little way off. It looked like sunlight—his way back to the path. As he stepped towards it, he hesitated. He could practically see the village elders’ pinched, blotchy red faces as they waggled their fingers in warnings: Never leave the paths in the forest! Levi chuckled softly; they’d be furious, but they also didn’t know what they were talking about. He’d lived in the forest his entire life and nothing bad happened to him—it wasn’t an evil place. He took another step forward but stopped again. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea? He looked behind him. He could just turn around or walk backwards; that’d lead him back to the path to town. With a sigh, he glanced back to the sunny spot. Or, tried to.

It vanished. The whole clearing was dark.

Huh.

Weird.

*  *  *

Levi barely had a chance to sit down since arriving. Half the town must have walked through his door thus far, and he was positive the second half would soon be coming. He sighed as the last client, a top-heavy old woman, pulled the oak door shut behind her. His work station was a mess: trimmed stems and remnants of tree bark were scattered all over his counter. Several flower petals and leaves were there too.  His mother’s journal was still lying open, a vine of ivy and an array of floral remnants resting on the open pages. He frowned and brushed them off. Just because he was running the store in her absence, didn’t mean he had to pick up her habits of “embracing nature,” or however she phrased it.

Levi jumped as a loud bang on the door sounded. He fished out his pocket-watch. It was exactly 12:24. Only one person in the entire village would come precisely six minutes before any standard meeting time.

“Door’s open!”

Before the words were fully out of his mouth, the door was shoved open. None other than Hanji strolled in, a lunch sack in her hand and a smile on her face.

“Levi! It’s been so long, my friend.”

“I saw you yesterday,” he said as he grabbed a nearby broom and began to sweep the floor. Everyone wanted tree back this time of year but it always left such a mess!

“Hogwash!” Hanji laughed and pulled a nearby stepping stool to squat on. Per usual, she was wearing a slightly dirty green tunic and kept her hair braided down her back, with the exception of three tuffs that refused to lie flat and were too short to be wrestled into the braid. The schoolteachers had long since given up making her abide “tradition”.  

“Hey! I came all this way for you,” Hanji said. “The least you can do is stop sweeping and talk to me.”

“I’ve been talking to you.” Levi grinned. “And what’s this nonsense ‘all this way’? You live by the market.”  

Hanji huffed and pointedly stared at the wall behind him, but Levi could still see the poorly disguised smirk on her face. “Are you going to eat with me or not, Shortstack?”

Levi laughed and rested the broom on the wall. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” He nabbed his lunch sack from under his work table and joined Hanji on the floor. Hanji undid the ties on their sacks as he placed a cloth on the floor between them. Soon the berries, apples, bread, and Hanji’s wine adorned it.

“Where’s the butter?”

Hanji shook her head as she chewed a piece of bread. “Fresh out. I brought jam instead.” She fished out a small jar from her pocket and offered it to him. Levi took it and peered inside.

“There’s like nothing in here.”

“I had to make it last since Bealtaine!”

Levi raised his brows. That was impressive. He unscrewed the lid and brought it to his nose.

“Is this—”

“Rowanberry. You better appreciate it.”

“I will,” he said before ripping off a piece of bread and dipping a corner in the jar. Levi smiled at the familiar taste. Rowanberries were a delicacy. He and his mother used to eat them near the cliffside during Bealtaine and watch the waves crash against the rocky shore far below them. Then, she would read him stories about the town lore until all the jam and bread was gone, take his hand, and lead them back to the store.

“What’s wrong?”

Levi looked up. He hadn’t noticed his gaze falling.

Hanji had stopped eating, scrutinizing him. “You have that look again.”

“Which one?”

“The one you get when you’re sad and frustrated and hopeful.” She paused a moment. “You’re thinking of her, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Tomorrow’s the ninth Midsummer since...you know. Anyone who does say anything says it gets easier, but it hasn’t.”

“Levi… The elders—”

“Fuck the elders,” Levi said as he put the jam and bread down. “They’re all a bunch of liars.” He pulled his legs in close and wrapped his arms around them. “They probably exiled her.”

Hanji didn’t speak, allowing the silence to linger. He probably wasn’t done yet.

Levi huffed and prodded a fallen leaf with his foot. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Hanji said. She reached for the jam and also dipped another ripped piece of bread. Levi nodded slowly and reached over for an apple. “What were you thinking about?”

“She used to read me folklore on Bealtaine along the cliffside,” Levi said with a shrug and took a bite. The apple was particularly crisp; he’d have to visit that tree again.

“What kind of lore?”

“All kinds—magic, fae, heroes, the goddesses, rituals.”

“Oh, I loved the ones with rituals!” Hanji threw herself back, arms and legs splayed out. “None of them were ever just lore, Levi. I wish we still practiced it. They made a lot of sense.”   

“What made sense about worshipping a tree?”

Hanji lifted her head up and fixed a glare at Levi. “It’s not just worshipping a tree, Shortstack. It’s nature and the forces who make it. The trickster fae who live in the forest, the sprites near the water, even the wisps who guide travelers astray—they’re all nature.”

“That’s dumb.”

Hanji pulled herself up again, pointing a finger at Levi as he continued eating. “It’s not dumb, it’s terrifying. We do rituals to invoke the gods when we need them most or to celebrate them, but it’s never a guarantee. So instead, we pretend they don’t exist, shame our ancestors’ way of life, and tell these stories as little frights for the children.” She poured herself a cup of wine and took a sip. “Who are we to suppose we’re bigger than nature? To ignore it in all times outside disaster?” She shook her head and stared into her cup; her eyes distant. “It only makes our lessons in humility that much harsher.”  

Levi rested his hands on his lap, apple devoured. “Do you believe in the stories?”

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

Fair enough. Levi brushed his hands against his toga before pushing himself off the floor. Townsfolk would start knocking again soon. He looked down at Hanji again, who was beginning to clear their lunch setting. 

“Are you going to the bonfire tomorrow night?”

“Of course, Shortstack. I’ll see you there.” She offered him the small bit of wine left in the bottle and he accepted it, polishing it off in one swig.

“Great.” With that, she stood and tied her lunch sack again, all of her jam and too many of his berries secured inside it. “Happy Midsummer, Levi.”

“Save that for tomorrow,” he said with a smile and waved her farewell. “And thanks for the bottle!” Hanji waved off his thanks but didn’t look back as she left the shop. A cool wind blew into the shop before she could close the door, rustling the arrangements he had on the wall pedestals. Most of their vases were bottles of wine he and Hanji finished together, but no one knew Hanji let him finish off the drinks. She was already a “bad influence” according to the schoolteachers and elders. It had to be a miracle of the Triple Goddess that she hadn’t been exiled yet.

Levi walked over to his work station and placed the bottle down. He could make a new arrangement in it later. But that wasn’t his priority as he ran his fingers over the worn red leather of his mother’s journal. The pagers were beyond soft, the ink long since dried into its fibrous surface.

 

_His mother finally let him sit on her lap as she worked, but instead of flowers, all he saw was a book. “This book is the most important object we will ever own,” she said._

_“But it’s so old.”_

_“That just shows how long it’s been in our family, Levi. My grandmother wrote the stories of her grandmother on these pages. My mother added what she knew, and I have too. One day, when you inherit this, you’ll write in here too—that is, if you can find any room.” A smile split her face and she squeezed his little sides, tickling him. Their laughter echoed through their home._

Levi carefully flipped through the book. Hanji had mentioned it in passing, but it was worth looking into. If it even had a name, much less truly exist. Towards the back of the book, he found it. There in elegant, loopy letters, she wrote:

 

Will-o’-the-Wisps

 

Floating balls of light in the forest.

 

Avoid at all costs.

 

*   *   *

The elders were pretty shit at everything but at least they knew how to light a fire. A big one, at that. Even from his seat ten paces away, he felt the flame’s heat. Midsummer was his favorite celebration. Although they didn’t perform the rituals for the fire, they still appreciated the purpose: to celebrate all of the new life on summer’s longest day. In fear of burning the forest, they always built the fire on the furthest cliffside. It was further outside of the town than his own little cottage. But it was most beautiful there. The fire’s reds and oranges danced high against the backdrop of the sparkling sea and purpling sky.

  
Levi watched the other townsfolk share in a dinner closer to the tree line. The mothers kept a firm hand on their smallest children while the older ones were allowed to run around so long as they didn’t wander too near to the fire or the edge of the cliffside. He couldn’t account for the cliffside but doubted the kids would come near the fire since he was sitting there. It wasn’t so much that the town hated him, but they weren’t necessarily keen about him since he took over the flower shop. They didn’t need to speak for him to gauge it; it was in everyone’s eyes.

“Levi! Stop wallowing!” Levi nearly fell forward as Hanji slapped his back and plopped down next to him, a nearly empty bottle of wine in hand. Her breath told it all. “Go interact with people! Eat something! Just get off this damn log.”

“They don’t have to tell me to my face how disappointed they are in me, Hanji,” Levi said and rubbed his eyes. “I can practically feel it every time they look at me.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t eat anything.”

“I already ate—”

“Don’t lie to me, Shortstack. I saw you sit here almost the entire day.” Hanji shoved his shoulder. “Go for a walk. Stretch your body. The log will be here when you get back and you can continue weathering away on it, like the old soul you are.”

Levi laughed and let himself be shoved off the log. It wasn’t a bad idea to take a walk. Standing up, he stretched his back and meandered towards the cliffside. The grass tickled at his exposed ankles as he stepped through it, wind blowing back his clothes and hair. He couldn’t stop the smile from growing on his face. It wasn’t the same, but it was good enough.

“Excuse me! Mister!”

Levi turned around. Three little ones were standing a safe distance from both him and cliff, two of them hiding behind the third, a girl with two braids nearly as long as her body and fire in her eyes. He walked over to them.

“What is it?”

“Zeke threw my stone into the forest,” she said and pointed to the woods that touched the cliffside. “Can you go get it for me? Please?”

Levi suppressed his chuckle. Children were so ridiculous. “What does it look like?”

“It’s white with purple and green lines on it. Also, it’s round.”

“Okay,” Levi glanced off to where the little girl pointed. This wouldn’t be too easy of a find. “I’ll try my best. Don’t wait for me here.” The children nodded and ran back to the adults at the table. Smiling, Levi headed into the woods.

The other townsfolk didn’t like the forest. They were afraid of it. But not him. Levi followed his mother everywhere and she loved every part of the forest. It wasn’t hard to understand either: if you respected it, it would respect you. He kept his eyes peeled for the stone as he walked in deeper.

The sky was darkening to blue when he saw it again. It was just like before, a tiny ball of light, bobbing in place like an apple that had fallen into the stream. A breeze blew through him; it was far too cold for a summer chill. Levi drew his cloak closer to his body.

 

_Avoid at all costs._

 

Was this a wisp?

 

Levi took a step towards it. He had to be sure what it was. Even in all the places he explored in the forest, he never came across a creature like this before. So long as he treated it with respect, he’d be fine. Swallowing, Levi took another step towards it, extending a trembling hand.

The wisp bounced backwards, away from his touch, and changed colors. Instead of yellow light, now it was a shimmering green. “Wow,” he said. It was mesmerizing, the most beautiful little creature he’d ever come across. Levi stepped towards it again, trying to catch it. Again, the wisp bounced back and changed into blue light.

Levi took a sharp breath.

This time, it wasn’t only this wisp that glowed blue. It was _several_ wisps that glowed blue. They were arranged in a line, a trail! Perhaps they were leading him to the stone?

 

_Avoid at all costs._

He’d be fine. The stories were just stories—he had nothing to fear. Levi followed the trail of wisps into the forest. In the rapidly blackening sky, the usual curves of the trees looked sharper, angrier almost. Broken branches littered the ground, making his every step crunch and echo around him. Levi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Even if the story wasn’t true, it wouldn’t hurt to follow the journal’s advice.

 

“Levi? Is that my baby? I need to get back to my baby!”

 

Levi’s heart leapt to his throat as tears sprung to his eyes. _He knew that voice._ She was here, exiled to the forest all this time! He never thought he’d hear her voice again. It was coming from further ahead of him. He took off down the trail, ignorant to the blue light stretching the trees’ shadows and blotting out the stars and rays from the moon.

But he didn’t notice that. He only heard her voice, only heard it getting louder the further he went.

“Please, let me go! I need to get back to my son. He needs me!”

He wanted to call out to her, let her know he was coming, but the words wouldn’t leave his throat. He was so close. Thorny branches scraped his arms and snagged his clothes, but Levi didn’t care. He had to keep running. She kept calling to him. She was still here, just lost. He could find her.

Suddenly, the ground gave out underneath him and the wisps’ blue lights extinguished. Levi cursed as he rolled down the side of a rocky slope, tumbling through thorny bushes and rocks. Their jagged edges cut his skin, while the sharp thorns and broken branches of bushes caught on his clothing and scratched him. At last, his back collided with something much bigger than himself. He groaned and let himself rest a moment, breathing hard.

“Ow, fuck,” he said between breaths. Levi cursed again and pushed himself to rest against whatever he collided with. To the touch, it might’ve been stone, but he couldn’t tell which one. It was too smooth to be a rock from nearby.

 Levi looked around. He couldn’t see a thing; the sky was black and starless, and the wisps were gone. It was silent too. His eyes stung and Levi clenched his jaw as the tears began to fall. His throat was so tight, but he didn’t let a sound pass through his lips.

He was tricked.

She wasn’t really here.

And he wanted her to be here so fucking much.

             

Suddenly, a light flickered into existence only a few inches from his face. Its light was a soft orange. Dwyvan’s sake, he just wanted to be alone. Was that really too much to ask? Levi swatted at the stupid creature, but it didn’t bounce out of the way. Levi gasped as his hand went through the ball of light. The moment his skin touched the light, he froze. Literally. He’d never felt such an intense cold before. It started at his hand and spread through the rest of his body. But Levi couldn’t even shout for help—as quickly as it began, it ended.

“Levi!”

He snapped his head in time to see Hanji barreling toward him. She threw her arms around him and held him in a strong grasp before grabbing his shoulders and yanking him back to peer into his eyes. “Where did you go?”

“I—” He paused. What _had_ happened to him? It felt so real. But it couldn’t have been. Could it?

"What?”

“I don’t know what happened.”

“Levi, the fire burned out hours ago and no one except some kids knew where you went,” Hanji stroked his face with a shaking hand before clamping down on his shoulder again. “What happened? Did you get lost in the woods?”  

“I-I need to go home.” Levi tugged himself out of Hanji’s grasp.

“Levi?”

He didn’t answer her as he took off, down the path towards town. Somewhere along the way, he started running. The journal was in his room; he just needed to get back to it. Those rocks were important. There was no way they wouldn’t be. And the thing with the wisp? That had to be real—he needed to add that to their section. His chest heaved as he pushed himself through the last stretch.

He tumbled through his front door, slamming it closed and hurrying to his room. There, on his bed was the journal. Now he just—

Levi clutched his temples with wide eyes. Pain like he never knew blossomed behind his eyes. He staggered forward but his vision was already dimming. It was like he had no control of his body anymore. He could barely think with the pain blundering through his head. He wasn’t going to make it to the journal. Was he even going to wake up? He’d just have to hope. His eyes fluttered shut as his legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor.


	2. Eren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see dinklebert's amazing artwork for when Eren and Levi first meet? Well here's the link: https://dinklebertarts.tumblr.com/post/185984285839/so-i-had-the-pleasure-of-being-paired-with
> 
> Also, within this chapter, there are several references to Celtic pantheism that are underlined. They each have explanations in the end notes. This will continue in the next chapter and future one-shots.

Levi woke with a groan to a stifling darkness. His body was so sore; there was a sharp pounding behind his eyes and in his temples and two stabbing pains in his back. His body twitched as he tried to push himself onto his hands and knees. He must’ve fallen asleep under a lot of blankets. Levi blinked again and shook his head; no, that couldn’t be right. It was the day after Midsummer. Why would he even sleep under a blanket, much less be this buried under one? He tried pushing his body up again, managing to hold the position for a second, before collapsing back onto his elbows. He swallowed as his body throbbed yet again.

Something wasn’t right.

Okay. So. He couldn’t see and couldn’t raise his arms. He would just have to rely on his other senses. Levi shut his eyes and concentrated on touch. He was on something…worn. It wasn’t quite soft, but it wasn’t irritable either—almost like a fabric. His toes were warmer than his hands, like something other than the fabric was heating them. Maybe there was a way out by his feet? He crawled backwards, towards the warmth, careful to take his time. It was getting stronger, closer. Finally, his knee touched a different texture. It was firm, a tad grainy, smooth, but also slightly rough. He clambered out of the fabric and opened his eyes. He was standing on the floor—wood. But there was something off about—

“What in the name of the Morrigu…”

Levi’s mouth gaped as he took in his surroundings. Everything was _huge!_  The walls stretched upwards forever and only then did they touch the wooden beamed ceiling. A giant wooden post jutted out from the ground nearby. Lighter than he ever moved before, Levi ran towards it. His feet barely felt like they touched the floor. He stumbled to a halt next to the post and looked up again. White linens hung off the side of it. Was—was that his bed? 

Levi inhaled sharply as pieces started to come together in his mind. He collapsed in his room last night—he never made it under any covers. What were those blankets? Levi swallowed back the oncoming nausea; they were supposed to be stories. Weren’t they all just lore?  

“Shit, shit, shit, shit.”.

He looked down at his body. He was stark naked. Where did his clothes… He looked off to the pile of fabrics. _Shit._ But that didn’t make any sense! Levi clutched his head. What happened? Was he a—a creature now? He needed help, someone to explain this to him.

The book!

The book would be able to explain this. Levi glanced up at his bed linens. It’d be a climb, but he would be able to manage. Widening his stance, he bent his knees and jumped. He had to be flying, his body was so _light!_ Levi couldn’t help the smile creeping onto his face as he shot through the air, floating for a moment high above his bedsheets and elder tree leaves. Oh, they were good leaves; they would make for great clothes. Levi furrowed his eyebrows. How did he know that? He looked off to the side of his bed. His tunic and cape were there, sprawled on the floor like he was last night.

Gently, Levi began floating back down towards the bed. Or at least he tried to. He gasped as a gust of air pushed him in the air. He flung his arms out to catch his no longer graceful fall but winced as pain flared in his back.

“Shit, stop it!”

Another gust of wind blew him back, knocking him into a summersault. Levi cursed and kept his eyes wide open. Dammit, he left one of the windows open! Levi struggled as he tried to right himself in midair; his newfound lightness wasn’t helping in the slightest. Dammit, dammit! His bed was getting further away from him and the wind wouldn’t stop. Where was he headed?

Something cold and wet hit his back. Levi grit his teeth as he waved his arms and chanced a look behind him. His stomach dropped.

“N-no, no!” Levi flailed in the air as he tried to redirect himself.

He was headed towards the open window.

Another strong gust of wind tore through the room, pushing him out the house and into the trees. Levi winced as bits of bark and leaves bit at his skin as he shot through the foliage. He brought his arms and legs together and shut his eyes. Another drop of something wet and cold hit his back as he tumbled through. Shit, was it about to start raining too? A soft rumbling in the distance answered his question: thunder. 

Levi cursed and opened his eyes to a squint as something else smacked his face. It was a leaf on a branch.

A branch!

Levi unwrapped his arms and lunged for it. He needed to find an anchor in all this wind. Levi gasped as his fingers managed to hook onto a sturdy piece of bark. The rain was starting to come down a bit harder; the thunder rumbling louder. Levi hoisted himself onto the branch, breathing hard. The rain kept falling, coming down steadier now. He looked around wildly. Everything was still too fucking big. He wasn’t going to be able to tell branch from branch, let alone figure out where the hell he was in the forest.

The branch under his feet shook as a clap of thunder echoed through the sky.

He was lost.

 

 

 

 

 

_Six Months Later_

_Yule: December 21 st_

 

 

Levi heard a leaf rustle. He clambered up to his feet, wings flapping fiercely to keep his balance. He winced—his right forewing wasn’t entirely healed yet—and leaned against the tree root. His good wing fluttered as he peered over the vine that managed to conceal his presence. The air had a certain stillness to it now, an anticipation. The wind barely blew. It was as if the Goddesses themselves were holding their breath, waiting for something. Levi was all too familiar with the feeling: winter was here. The first snow was going to fall any day now, and Levi was permanently grounded. Finding food in the snow would be next to impossible. He had to make his stores last—and that meant trapping whatever rodent kept sneaking into them. The trap was far from elaborate. He left the bark door open, just enough for the sweet allure of ripe berries to tempt anything near. The rodent would come for it and Levi would kill it. Simple. And sure enough, the leaves were rustling. Levi readied his small blade; it wasn’t much, just a firethorn thorn he managed to hone, its red skin smooth and sharp. Several leaves were shaking; it was big. Levi clutched the blade in his hand, flexing his fingers over the grass-woven handle. Any second now, the rodent would appear…

Levi’s eyes narrowed as a hand pushed aside the last leaf, revealing a creature. It wasn’t a rodent; it was a man with two dark wings reaching high above his head— a faery. He was tall, dressed in a green tunic with something tied around his waist as a kind of belt. His legs were long, hidden behind black cloth pants and makeshift shoes from leaves that wrapped around his shins, nearly grazing his knees. He had a sack tied to the front of his chest, but it looked empty. He was probably going to put his stolen goods inside. Levi swallowed and grit his teeth as his right wing fluttered. The last time he fought a faery, it hadn’t gone well. But if he didn’t fight this one, he’d die during the winter.

Without allowing himself another moment to think, Levi leaped over the vine and sprinted towards the faery, silent. He pressed his wings together behind him; his stealth would be pointless if the other caught sight of the damn things. But he didn’t notice yet—he had turned his back to Levi now, trained on the bark hiding his food. Levi grit his teeth and lowered his shoulder as he rammed into the other, right between his wings.

“What in—?” The other faery latched on to Levi’s arms as they tumbled to the ground, limbs flailing and wings flapping furiously. Levi tried not to tremble as he caught sight of the other man’s wings. They were fucking _huge_ and a rich black. All the man needed was a few good flaps and Levi’s tiny ones would be overpowered. “Hey! Unhand my flesh! At once, unhand me!”

“Why—hey! Quit moving!” Levi said as he wrestled the other faery to the earth. He made the stupid choice to flap his wings so much, now Levi had his hands pinned to the ground over each wing, one foot digging into the man’s right wrist while his left hand pinned the other. He balanced his blade under the faery’s throat with his right hand. He pushed his free leg and the rest of his weight onto the man’s groin; now he wouldn’t be able to buck him off. Levi let his wings flatten against his back. Just because he personally didn’t find them intimidating, doesn’t mean this faery wouldn’t either. The other faery squirmed under him, but he didn’t move his eyes off Levi. They were rather large and strikingly indescribable. His brown hair was mused all around his head, framing his face like the angel he was. But that wasn’t important.

“Are you the thing that’s been stealing my food?” Levi said, chest heaving.

“Offense has been taken!” The man closed his eyes and turned up his nose. “A faery is not a thing. But bless you, a pixie can know only so much.”

“Pixie? I’m not a pixie…I think,” Levi said.

The other faery turned his face back to meet Levi’s. “Are you certain? You’re so close to the ground! In every aspect.”

Levi’s wings spasmed. Oh, so the ass wanted to be cute. Levi clenched his teeth and leaned forward, pushing his blade further into the faery’s neck. “Stop messing around and answer me. Have you been stealing my food?”

The man grinned, relaxing his hands to open palms up. “I have. I thought you to be a pixie.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

The faery opened his hands, palms facing up. “Well, force is not common with pixies. They do not discover me nor try to, so they do not hold much danger.”

Levi frowned. “Well—”

“Stranger, do let me up,” the faery said with a strained sigh. “My wings are becoming rather sore.”

“Why are you talking like that? And my name’s Levi,” he said as he withdrew his thorn blade and crawled off the other fairy. He lent the man a hand. “You?”

The faery glared as he grasped Levi’s hand and hoisted himself up, wings fluttering as they shook the dirt off them. “My name is Eren. I needn’t explain my upbringing to you, but if you must know, I have no choice but to speak as such.” Levi raised an eyebrow. Was that a sore spot? Eren shook his head, letting his long hair flop back into place over his ears. “But enough of me. You say you are Levi. Are you _the_ Levi? Of the Ackerman clan?”

Levi dropped Eren’s hand. Here too? Levi tightened his grasp on his thorn blade. The townspeople were always dodgy about his namesake and family, but they were humans. Eren was a faery. How did he know about them? Why did he know? He could force that answer out later. For now, he just had to lie. “No, that’s not me,” he said at last. Hopefully, Eren was dense enough not to see through his obvious lie.

“Are you sure—”

“Yes.”

Eren raised his hands in defense. “As you wish, Levi,” he said with a shrug. His wings fluttered slightly. They shimmered in the light, brilliant blue and teal bursting to life along the wing bodies. Levi wanted to look away, but he couldn’t—they were far too beautiful.

“Alright, now that you know where I—”

“You, Levi, live in the wrong place for faeries,” Eren said. “Why are you in the tree roots like a pixie?”

Levi’s clenched his jaw, right wing flapping harshly. “It’s none of your business. Why did you steal my food? Can’t find your own?”

Eren leaned over to beat the dirt from his pants. His long, unbraided hair fell from behind his ears and around his face, revealing the tips of his ears. They were pointed, like his own. Maybe he’d like to sink his teeth into them. Levi shook his head. He didn’t need that distraction, regardless of how lovely it might be. Still, Levi kept his eyes on Eren as he straightened up, grace flowing through his every move. Eren was looking at him, eyebrows raised. Kind of like—oh shit.

“What did you say?” Hopefully, the blush wasn’t as hot as it felt.

“I said I scavenge. I circulate often, looking for the things humans have lost in the forest. But,” Eren stepped forward, wings fluttering quick enough to stir a gentle breeze and rustle Levi’s wild bangs. Blue and teal shimmered again, disappearing and reappearing in new spots. “You have interests in something other than my duties as a faery, don’t you Levi. The slow flap of your wings says more than you realize. It should also be said that your wings are rather lovely.”

Levi couldn’t look away Eren’s sly face, even though his own was entirely too hot. So apparently it wasn’t a boner that would give him away anymore. He wanted to run back into his home and bury himself under his woven blankets. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t—” _Why was he stuttering?_

“Are you propositioning me?” Eren brushed back a tuft of hair dangling in front of his eyes. “I would not disapprove. You are the only Levi I’ve ever met, truly one of a kind. I would like to become intimately acquainted, if you will.” Eren stepped forward again, reaching a hand to tuck Levi’s bangs behind his pointed ears as well. For the love of all that was magic, Levi really wasn’t expecting this when he woke up this morning. Although, it wasn’t particularly unwelcome…but it was a distraction. Eren was just a beautifully cruel distraction.

“You’re a scavenger, right?” Levi said, turning away from Eren and moving out of his reach. Levi could hear the blood roar in his ears with every rapid drum of his heart. Eren was giving him that sly face again while flapping his wings too slowly for it to be anything other than intentional.

“I am.”

Levi’s right wing twitched. He shouldn’t ask, not after last time. But those wings were so beautiful. He could see truths in them, and one of those truths was that Eren wouldn’t hurt him. Levi clenched his fist. This didn’t make any damn sense, but neither did going to bed a human then waking up a faery. He spun around, casting Eren a dark look, hand clutching his blade.

“Look, I’m lost and need to find my way home. Will you help me?”

Eren tilted his head. “Are you not home now?”

“No. The wind carried me out here the day after Midsummer. I haven’t been able to find my way back yet.”

“The day after Midsummer? Cailleach, do you understand today to be Yule?”

Levi’s eyes widened. “It’s Yule? But I thought it was only mid-November.”

“Afraid not.”

“Please, then, I really need to get back. Hanji will be—"

“Do not fret, I will guide you,” Eren said, a smile lighting up his entire face and making his eyes practically shimmer. His wings flapped quickly back and forth. “I am a scavenger, this forest I know well. I shall guide you home and stay with you until then. I promise.”

Levi nodded—his throat too tight to say anything. Eren wanted to stay with him. He _promised_ he was going to stay with him. Only Hanji and his mother had ever wanted to be around him, let alone stay with him. And Eren was so beautiful. No, he couldn’t let himself get attached. Eren didn’t know who he truly was. If he knew he was an Ackerman, he’d leave too.  He just had to be nice but distant for however long Eren was around. Levi sighed.

“Do you want to come inside? I can start a fire.”

Eren nodded and rubbed his exposed arms. “If it pleases you, do lead the way. I will follow.” Levi nodded and began walking to his hut. It wasn’t much, but it was enough; just a shelter with walls and a ceiling mostly everywhere, nestled in the roots of a large Hawthorn tree.

*  *  *

Eren stayed through the night and the following day, just like he said. It was strange, going from living alone for half the year in the middle of nowhere to suddenly having another person—another faery—constantly flitting around him. Eren was an energetic type of faery. He couldn’t just sit down. He was always pacing around, flapping his wings, adjusting his clothing, or somehow doing a combination of all three. Levi probably would’ve gotten over it, but his hut was small and Eren very much wasn’t. If he had to endure one more smack to the face courtesy of Eren’s wings and then the ensuing spiel of apologies, he would have to build a new hut to live in.  

It finally began to snow in the morning, the white fluffs starting to stick to the ground. They decided to start up their trip after it stopped snowing, when the air would be clear of the snowflakes. It already wasn’t smart to be flying in the cold and flying in the snow was even worse. According to Eren, frozen wings weren’t a pleasant thing to experience. Levi hoped the temperature would warm up a little too; his clothes were in no condition to be traveling in the heart of winter. He sat by the modest fire in the center of his hut, trying and failing to weave together some new garments. His wings flapped in annoyance. The damn grass was too old; it wouldn’t hold.

“You do not seem well,” Eren said from his perch across from Levi. He sat calmly, wings flapping intentionally slow again, watching Levi’s lack of progress. “What is wrong?”

“The grass won’t come together,” Levi said. He tried once more, tucking the grass over and under the other strand, just like he’d been taught. But as quickly as it looped between the other strand, it snapped, losing his progress. Levi groaned and dropped his hands. “I give up!”

“Too brittle and old is your grass, and that is why it snaps. It looks dead. Where is your magic? Grow the green blades and pluck them at their ripest hour,” Eren said with a shrug. “You have power within you, Levi. Use it.”

Levi frowned. “I don’t have any power. And if I do, I don’t know how to use it. I’m new to all this,” he said, gesturing to his body.

Eren’s wings stilled as he scrambled up, eyes wide. “New? Are you not a faery by birth?”

 _Shit._ “Uh—”

“Never have I met another like me!” Eren’s wings began fluttering without rest as he hurried closer to Levi. “Were you human as well?”

Levi scrambled away from Eren’s excited face. He didn’t want to tell him the truth yet. “It doesn’t matter what I was,” he said. “But what did you mean when you said, ‘like me’? Aren’t you a faery?”

Eren took a step back and sat back on the floor. The fire crackled softly, casting a shadow on his face. The wind whistled faintly as it blew through the hut.

“My home was not always this forest,” he said, eyes glazing over. He was looking elsewhere, to a different time. “Once, a good long while ago, I lived in a village. All were my family, but I also had a baby sister and my mother. I lived barely six years, then—a true youth,” Eren paused, licking his lips. Levi watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed.  “I-I do not remember them now.” Eren’s wings nearly stilled as he spoke and drooped on themselves as he lowered his head. Levi didn’t like that look. Eren shouldn’t have to feel so sad.  

“Maybe you just need some encouragement,” Levi said and placed the dead grass patchwork aside on the floor. “What did your mother look like? Was she short and stout?”

“No,” Eren said and chuckled. “No, she was lean, and she had to be tall. I always had to look so far up when she scolded me.”  

Levi laughed and crossed his legs, flapping his wings. Of course, Eren would be scolded a lot. “How did she make you feel?”

“Warm. Her aura touched all who knew her. Her smile could clear even the darkest of days. I do miss her…quite a lot.” Eren raised his head again to look Levi in the eyes. The excitement from earlier was gone, replaced with a guarded expression. “Your questions. How do you know to ask them?”

“I also lost my mother when I was young, but it hasn’t been as long as you.”

“Were you nine?”

Levi’s smile fell. “Why are you asking?”

“Nothing, no reason,” Eren said and flapped his wings. “Levi, your wing has suffered extraordinary damage. How?”

Levi couldn’t help the tremor in his right wing at the mention of its injury. Eren knew something; this was a clear diversion. But he couldn’t demand the truth when he hadn’t been honest himself. Levi sighed. “Early on, when I was first realizing that I was lost, I ran into another fae creature. It offered to show me the way home and I accepted, but it lied and attacked me.”

Eren furrowed his brow. “Your survival, how did it occur? I’ve never heard our magic to stop imminent death.”

Levi widened his eyes. “Imminent death?”

“Yes.” Eren flapped his wings once and adjusted his legs. “The wings of a faery hold much of our ability to live. It is said to damage one is so unbearable that most will die if the damage is severe.”

Levi reached a hand back to feel his torn wing. The new edge was still thin and delicate, but jagged. Most of the forewing was missing, a slight bit of the hindwing gone as well. What happened? The only thing he remembered was feeling very cold, coming from his chest. Was that his power?

“The only way you could’ve survived is if you healed yourself immediately and that takes incredible power,” Eren said.

“What power? What, is it magic?”

Eren nodded. “Every faery can control magic. The ability dwells in our blood, the magic all around us.”

“Okay, so what I did isn’t special.” Levi picked at his clothing.

“But it is!” Eren leaned closer to Levi, grabbing his hands and squeezing them. Levi could feel the heat growing on his face. “Not any faery can handle the same amount of magic. For you to heal your own wing, you must harness such power of which I can only dream!” Eren’s wings were fluttering quickly behind him again, ruffling Levi’s hair every which way. He was so expressive; he probably wore his heart on his sleeve. Levi couldn’t stop the smile from creeping back onto his face; Eren was still holding Levi’s hands, a fact Levi was very keenly aware of. But Levi just cleared his throat and did his best to ignore all of this. Afterall, it was just a distraction.  

“Okay, so what? I could only do that while I was dying.”

Eren shook his head and leaned back, releasing Levi’s hands. Now they were much too cold. “You simply need to think and feel. Feel the thrum of life in everything. Once you feel it, it is yours to control.”

“But how?”

“It is a feeling, Levi. It is different for every faerie.” Eren reached over to the discarded pile of dead grass. “Watch me,” he said as he held the grass for a moment.

"Woah…” Levi watched as the grass transformed before his eyes, filling out and turning green again. “It’s alive again.”

"But most important: you may weave it now,” Eren said with a smile and handed the pile back to Levi. He accepted it and started weaving again. Blessings to Morrigu, it was holding!

"Thank you, Eren,” Levi said quietly without daring to look up.  

A light blush settled on the faery’s cheeks as he smiled and flapped his wings twice. “It is always my utmost pleasure, Levi.”

*   *   *

The snow finally stopped the following day, a little after midday. Eren leapt up from his mat on the ground and literally flew outside the moment he noticed. Levi quickly tugged his newly woven sweater on and tied it at the back before running after Eren, words of caution on his lips. But they quickly trailed off into silence as he stepped outside. Bless Eren for fitting him with a pair of leaf shoes.

The snow covered everything in a fine white. It was still powdery—excellent for winter paintings and the frolicking fun that Eren was doing. Levi couldn’t help the pang in his chest as he watched Eren dance in the air. He twirled in circles and darted through the branches, laughter escaping with every flap of his wings. The sun’s dying rays illuminated his wings, revealing greens and teals as he moved. He was beautiful, so beautiful. His smile was so genuine, his eyes brimmed with happiness, maybe even ecstasy. The wind blew his hair from his face, showing more of that gorgeous olive skin. He looked so free, so happy. Eren had promised he’d stay until he guided Levi home. Levi swallowed but he could feel the knot growing in his stomach. What would come after that?

Eren pressed his wings together and dove down towards Levi, only to open them suddenly to ease his landing. His landing gust of air disturbed the snow and ruffled Levi’s hair, to which Levi only pouted. Eren smiled; Levi could be so cute sometimes.

Levi sniffled and fluttered his wings. “I don’t think that was necessary,” he said.

Eren just laughed and rustled his wings again. “It most certainly was! It is hard being confined when you have such large wings. The freedom of flying is quite incredible!” As he spoke, his powerful wings flapped, pushing him off the ground just slightly. “And speaking of flying, the scavenging must continue!”

Levi stiffened, his wings stilling. “What?”

“The scavenging!” Eren said, smile still plastered on his face. “I must continue. I will come back.”

Levi’s eyes began to sting. “You’re leaving? But what about our trip? Finding my home? You can’t just leave now, Eren!” Somewhere along the way, Levi balled his hands up into fists as his voice grew louder. Eren raised an eyebrow.

“Levi, I will return. I do promise you this.” Eren hovered closer to Levi and let his palm trail down the side of Levi’s face. Why did his Levi look so frightened? “Besides, it is nearly nightfall; my abilities to scavenge are well diminished. I will return faster than you realize me to be gone.” Without another word, Eren flapped his wings hard, pushing himself further up and disturbing the snow. With a final smile in Levi’s direction, he rose up farther and then darted away, into the branches and away from sight. Levi was alone. Again.

 _Damn him!_ Levi grit his teeth and flapped his wings hard. He should’ve known Eren was going to leave. Everyone left him. Hell, even his own mother left—no, that wasn’t true. That couldn’t be true. His mother loved him more than anything; she would never just abandon him. But still… What was wrong with him? He and Hanji spent years polishing him up. He wasn’t as crass anymore—at least, he wasn’t while he was still human. He definitely wasn’t as rough around the edges as he was when he came of age to the village. He was so young, so confused, and hurt then; he didn’t understand. But what about now? Eren didn’t know he was an Ackerman, so maybe…maybe this really was something about him? Something about Levi—just Levi—that drove people away. Barely two days passed and Eren was already desperate to leave.  

But Eren also said his wings were cramped. That could be true, after all, he was much bigger than him and had bigger wings. Maybe he really would come back, he had just needed to stretch his wings. It made sense; he needed more space than Levi did. If that was true, then he’d definitely come back. Maybe he should get to weaving sleeping mats for them both. Or maybe gloves? Eh, his weaving wasn’t that great; they might be too tricky. Mittens? Maybe just another pair of pants for Eren? But he didn’t know his measurements—wait. Levi shook his head and groaned. No, dammit. He did exactly what he didn’t mean to do. He began to pace around, kicking the small lumps of snow. Levi shivered; it was eerie how the snow managed to swallow all sound; for once, the forest was truly silent.

“Look,” he said aloud to himself. “He’s just a faery. He and his wings are beautiful, he’s kind, strange, and mischievous. But that’s it. It’s just been the months on my own. That’s why I like him, why I want him around. He’s just company. He’s nothing else, nothing…” Levi sighed. Who was he trying to fool? If Hanji was here, she’d shove him and tell him to quit moping again. So what if Eren got him home? Would he even be able to turn back into a human? Would Hanji even be able to see him, know he was back? What if he could convince Eren to stay or something? Just to stick around or take Levi wherever he went? Maybe Eren wasn’t so much the distraction as trying to go back home. Why bother with it at all? Hanji and his village were in his past. He had to keep moving forward, and Eren could be the key to that. There was so much to see and do in this new world, why would he ever want to go back to being a lonely outcast? He’d never marry or even find a partner there. But here, with Eren, it could just be the two of them. Eren wanted to become “intimately acquainted” with him and if he was being truthful with himself, Levi wouldn’t mind letting him or reciprocating the favor. But if he wanted this, Eren _had_ to come back. And Levi would have to tell him everything.

Wings fluttering, Levi nodded and marched back into his hut. Once he sat back down next to the fire, he winced as his wings reacclimated to the heat—he’d have to be more cautious with how long he stayed outside now that there was snow. Levi rolled his eyes and picking up his newest weaving project—pants. His little leaf loincloth had really run its time. And now that Eren taught him how to actually channel his magic, it was coming along rather well. Levi let his face relax as he continued his work, humming to an old Yule folk tune. It was his mother’s favorite, but he’d long forgotten the right words to go with the melody.

The moon would be bright tonight; hopefully bright enough for Eren to find his way back without too much difficulty. The faint scents of Meadowsweet and Honeysuckle wafted through the hut. It was strange. Levi had never ventured into this part of the forest and yet, he felt so close to his mother here. Perhaps it was something about this area. Its energy seemed…familiar. Like he sensed it a long time ago. But was it hers?

No. Levi took a new interest in the pants he was weaving. The last time he thought he discovered something new about his mother in the forest, it was a trick. This was probably the same thing.

 

           

           

It was well after sundown when Levi first heard something outside. He grabbed his thorn blade and crept towards the door, wings pressed together tightly. Whoever it was walked up to the door and knocked three times, paused, then knocked three more times.

“Levi? I would rather not be wrestled to the ground again, should I enter your abode of my own allowance. So, do allow me to enter.”

Levi blinked for a moment before wrenching the door open, his wings fluttering excitedly.  There Eren was, in the flesh just like he promised.

“You came back,” Levi said.

"Of course,” Eren said with a cheeky grin. “I promised you, did I not?”

Levi’s mouth twitched up before he sent a firm punch into Eren’s side. Eren yelped, clutching his side and cast a glare at Levi. “What was that—”

"You promised me that hours ago!” Levi spun around and hurried back into the hut. Hopefully, Eren wouldn’t see how red his face was. “Get in here before you let all the warmth out.” Levi needed a distraction. It was all he could do to keep the smile off his face and ease his body’s trembling; his wings were already a lost cause. Eren came back! He really did. It wasn’t him—was it even the Ackerman name? But what if this was another trick of the forest? Another illusion? Levi turned around again. Eren had crept inside, carefully shutting the door behind him. Levi needed to touch him, feel him, know this was real—that he really did come back. Eren glanced up, a more sheepish expression on his face. Oh fuck.

Levi’s wings flapped hard, sending him off balance briefly before his legs took the hint and started towards Eren. He didn’t stop until he was there, wrapping his arms under Eren’s wings and holding him close. Eren smelled like the pine in the forest mixed with some sweeter scents. His wings couldn’t control themselves, fluttering sporadically as Levi melted a little. He was here, he was here, he was here! He could really go down a new pathway now, explore the world, properly fall in love, and only look to the future. And Eren came back, so he could do it all with him. Levi squeezed Eren tighter, burying his head in his solid chest.

“Levi, are you well? Your heart is beating very quickly,” Eren said, arms frozen in the air.

“I’m fine,” Levi said, voice thick. “I just didn’t expect to see you again.”

“You doubted me?” Eren rested a hand on the nape of Levi’s neck, pulling him closer.

“Of course, I did,” Levi said before clearing his throat and letting his arms fall. “Anyone who’s ever cared about me left. I didn’t want you to be the next one.”

Eren squeezed Levi closer to his chest before letting him go and grasping his hand. “It is a good thing we are inside. Words hold greater power in the darkness, and there is an abundance now that the sun has left us. Come, let us sit by the fire.” Levi nodded, not letting go of Eren’s hand as he guided them to their mats near the fire and sat them both down. Crap.

Levi’s wings were trembling. Shit. Now he had to tell him. His reaction to seeing Eren again was too strong—but he couldn’t help it! It just…happened.

“Okay,” Eren said. “What did you mean ‘you didn’t want me to be the next one’? Is there danger poised for me?”

Levi stared in the fire. _Here goes nothing._ “I-I haven’t been truthful with you, Eren. But you’re important to me and you came back, so I’m going to come clean.” Levi let out a deep breath, wings still fluttering. “I was born a human. My mother did disappear when I was nine. I don’t know why, but I think it has something to do with my family because…because I’m an Ackerman.” Levi raised his eyes to Eren’s. His were wide and his mouth was parted, wings absolutely still. “I don’t know if you’re in danger. All I know is that being an Ackerman isn’t usually a good thing.”

Levi stared hard at Eren’s face. He closed his mouth into a tight line and his eyes darted from side to side as if he was searching for something, but he didn’t let go of Levi’s hand. That was something. The fire crackled on. Levi twisted his fingers into his shirt. Why wasn’t Eren saying anything? Why didn’t he throw a fit and storm out of the room? Or yell at him at the very least? He was just sitting there, with a grim expression. Was he going to—no, Eren wouldn’t hurt him.

"Levi…” The Ackerman snapped his head up to meet Eren’s eyes. His wings were pressed together again, his body rigid.

"Yeah?”

"You _are_ in fact the Levi of the Ackerman clan, yes?” Levi nodded and Eren’s grimace only grew. “This is incredible and unfortunate. I was more excited before now because you had more time. But now… I shall explain. You, Levi, are well-known to faeries like me. You are the one to break your family’s curse.”

"Curse?”

Eren nodded, the shadows from the fire casting darkness on his face. His wings lost their iridescent shimmer, now only looking like dark, looming masses. Levi shivered. He hadn’t seen Eren like this before.

“You see, the Ackerman clan is ancient. They were among the first human villagers to settle here. To make their home—the one you most likely grew up in—they cut a Hawthorne tree.” Levi gasped. How could his ancestors be so _stupid!_ Eren nodded his head. “Yes, as you can guess the faeries living there held much wrath and cursed all Ackerman’s to have terrible pregnancies. This lasted for hundreds of years—it was a miracle of the Triple Goddess that your line did not cease to exist. Then, one of your ancestors became a converted witch. But she was too green of a witch—she did not yet know the mixed bag that we faeries are, nor to avoid making deals with faeries. As it happens, she made a wish to a bad faery, one of The Good Folk, to grant all Ackerman women healthy pregnancies. But faeries prefer the structure of a deal rather than that of granting a wish. So, the faery granted her wish but for a return unknown to her. The mother could raise her children until her firstborn’s ninth year before they were lured away from the child into the forest. Only the child could save their mother and break their family’s curse if they ventured into the forest and freed her before they breathed on this earth for eighteen years.”

Levi tried to swallow between the lump in his throat. No. No way. “S-She’s alive? My mother?”

Eren leaned forward. “Yes, but only just. Levi, what is your age?”

"I’m seventeen.”

"And the date of your birth?”

“The 25th.  December 25th. Five days…after Yule…” No. _No!_

“I see that you see now. It is nightfall on the 23rd. We must find her before sundown tomorrow.”

Levi pulled his hand form Eren’s and dropped his head into them. He had a day. One day to search through the entire forest—without being able to fly—to find and free his mother or she’d die.

"You’ve got to be kidding me, right? Tell me you’re joking…” he whispered. “I can’t do it. I don’t even know where I currently am, much less where to begin looking for her.” Levi didn’t flinch as he felt a hand come to rub his back.

"Such a journey you won’t undertake alone.” Levi glanced up at Eren. He wore a small smile and flapped his wings slowly. “Allow me to finish. I am a scavenger faerie. I have looked through all the forest. I know many things and places. You have me as your guide—you shall fulfill your birthright.”

"How can you be so sure?”

"I believe in you,” Eren said with a rustle of his wings. He leaned in closer, face only inches away from Levi’s. He brought his free hand up, tucking some of Levi’s hair behind his ear and letting his hand cup his neck. Levi looked so uncertain, so hesitant, but so passionate. It was all in his eyes and in the uneven flap of his wings. But he could change that.

Levi stared into Eren’s eyes. There was something almost tender behind them. Levi swallowed as he felt himself leaning forward. He could keep fighting the spark, but why? Eren believed in him, trusted him. What more did he feel for him? There had to be more if Eren hadn’t moved away yet. Levi let his eyes fall shut; he just wanted to feel it, feel everything. Eren was close, so close. He could feel his heat, the puffs of his breath on his cheeks. All he had to do was close the distance, press their lips together, give in to the spark. And his wings were so beautiful. Eren was his future, why not pursue it when it was right in front of him?

But his mother. He had the chance to find her and save his family from this wretched curse. Hanji and the village might be in his past, but his mother was alive. She could be in his future again. He couldn’t just give her up. He couldn’t let himself get distracted now, regardless of how beautiful and charming and caring and hopeful and endearing the distraction might be. He had to focus on her first. He had to.

Levi turned his head away, forcing himself not to look into Eren’s eyes. He didn’t want to see the hurt he placed there.

“We—we’ll have to get up before sunrise if we’re going to make the best of the daylight. It’s probably best if we get some sleep now.” Levi didn’t bother waiting for confirmation before he pulled away from Eren’s soft and gentle hands and flitted over to his own sleeping mat.

Eren watched as Levi settled down for sleep. His lips tingled with Levi’s breath and the promise of what could have been. But maybe this was for the best. Perhaps he should’ve been truthful tonight as well. No, it was one thing to tell Levi of his role in the prophecy. It was another to reveal his own role. The ring he found earlier wouldn’t go anywhere. He covered it with his scent and dust. No one would dare cross the dust of one of The Good Folk. He would take Levi there first thing in the morning and see where it led them. But for now, he’d let Levi sleep tonight, dreaming peacefully on the wings of his mother.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> List of Underlined Names
> 
> -Cailleach: A crone Goddess who often appears in folklore as an evil faery who brings death and winter. 
> 
> -Morrigu: Also known as The Morrigan, she is a Triple Goddess made of three crone Goddesses of war, battle, death, and destruction. She is a very powerful Triple Goddess. 
> 
> -Triple Goddess: The eternal goddess who is always in flux and as such has several different names and epresented through the phases of the moon. She is the Maiden, Mother, and Crone at once, the one who births all things, devours all at its ends, and provides life anew when the cycle renews. 
> 
> I hope my research paid off; these descriptions are paraphrased from this book: "Celtic Myth & Magick: Harnessing the Power of the Gods and Goddesses" by Edain McCoy


	3. Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're at the end! Thanks for reading this little ficlet of mine! I love this universe so there will probably be future one-shots.

True to Levi’s word, they left the hut well before the sun’s first rays could warm the earth. More snow hadn’t fallen overnight, much to Levi’s pleasure. Being light enough to fly came with other advantages, like being able to walk on airy snow without falling through at least. Eren hovered just above the snow, flying next to Levi and keeping their hands intertwined. But even with the comfort, Levi couldn’t help the nausea building in his stomach. Eren told him about the ring he found, but for it to belong to his mother seemed strange.

"Eren?”

"Yes, Levi?”

"Explain this to me again.”

"And by ‘this’ you mean?”

"The ring. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

"I have already explained the situation, but if I was unclear, I shall repeat myself now. I found a ring during my scavenging the previous night. The ring belongs to a witch and I believe that witch to be your mother.”

Levi cast a glare towards Eren and gave a hard flap of his wings. “I know that. What I don’t get is how we—you—just happen to find a ring that you supposedly believe belongs to my mother—who you also assume is a witch—the day that we need to find her. She disappeared almost nine years ago. How hasn’t it been buried it by now?”

Eren stroked his thumb across the back of Levi’s hand. “I will not try to make sense of the forest, but I have lived here a long time. The forest is alive with magic. While we fae creatures dwell within it, the magic itself is from the forest’s very existence.”

"And?”

"And so, sometimes the forest will act accordingly. It is your birthright to lift this curse and I am helping you to do so. As a result, the forest reveals a witch’s ring in your hour of need. It seems most fitting that this ring is your mother’s.”

Levi furrowed his brow. “And what then? If the ring is hers, do we find her?”

"I know not the answer any more than you.” Eren flapped his wings hard in quick succession and landed on the snow in front of Levi, the generated breeze ruffling his hair like fingers running through it. A soft smile pulled at Levi’s lips as Eren tugged their hands forward. Eren took any and every opportunity to show off his wings to Levi. But he really didn’t need to anymore; Levi thought his wings were beautiful from the moment they met.  

"I have another question,” Levi said, flapping his own wings as he hurried forward to match Eren’s pace.

Eren glanced at Levi, eyebrow raised. “You have many questions this morning. Are you scared?”

Levi turned his head to stare at the woods around them as he spoke. “Scared isn’t the right word, but I’m something. Today seems too consequential to just act normally.” Sometime along their walk, the sun must have risen. The snow in front of them gleamed white as they walked along it. But further along their pathway, brown shrubbery jut from the ground, blocking out the sun and casting long, twisted shadows. Were they going to walk there?

"Your question, Levi?”

Levi blinked out of his trance. “Oh, yes. You keep talking about me breaking this curse as my birthright. But, I mean, I can’t be the first Ackerman to try this. Right?”

"No.” Levi turned to look at Eren.

"What?”

"The Ackerman clan was never told how to save their mothers. There was once a young girl who had an opportunity. She saw her mother being lured into the forest. They say the child wore a red cloak when she entered the forest after her mother but has never been seen since.”

"Well, did she have help or anything?” Levi shivered. Eren led them straight into the shadows of the shrubbery, and the air was much colder. But it didn’t feel right, even for being winter. It was too sharp, stabbing his lungs every time he breathed. He pressed himself closer into Eren’s side, wings fluttering quickly. Eren reciprocated with the slow flaps of his wings, sliding an arm around his waist, keeping Levi close. “You said faeries like you knew my family line so you can’t be the only one who’s helped us, right?”

“No. Not all faeries who know of you wish to help you. No one helped the child.”

“But she was a kid.”

“That matters little. But if this pleases you to hear, I have no certainty on her fate—perhaps she is still with life. What is certain is that she failed her mother.” Eren glanced down at Levi. His face looked older, wearier. His eyes where a million paces away. “Do not dwell in the past; you will forget to live if you do.” Was he still talking to him?

Eren stopped them as they came to a small clearing. There was no snow, dead brush, nor any brown to be seen. Only a patch of lush green grass and growing bluebells in a circle towards the center of the clearing. Wait…bluebells!

Levi tugged Eren’s hand. “Eren, the bluebells.”

"What of them?”

 Levi frowned. “Stop joking. You know they’re toxic. I’m trying to find my mother on this isle, not The Isle of Nowhere.”

“They are toxic to humans,” Eren said as he pulled Levi towards the ring of deadly flowers. “Not to us fae. Just do not ring the bells as you pass through them; more faeries shall come if you do. Now come along, the true prize is inside.” Levi grit his teeth and shrugged Eren’s arm off his waist, but followed him into the brush, pressing his wings together and stepping only where he stepped. They didn’t have any time to waste fending off other faeries or beating around the bush. He crossed through the hedge and breathed in sharply. They were standing inside a ring of bluebells—unharmed. This had to be magic—bluebells didn’t grow like this and no villager would venture this far into the forest. They may not have practiced the lore anymore, but they were still superstitious. Levi glanced at the sky. The sun was hidden behind the tree canopy. Huh. Was that also magic? Who was casting it?  

“Levi,” Eren said. “Levi, there it is.”

Levi’s gaze fell from the sky back to the green earth. And his eyes widened. There, in the true center of the bluebell ring was a human ring. It had been here a long while, its silver dirty but not quite rusted. Intricate knotwork slithered around the sides of the ring with blues, grays, and greens twinkling in its creases. Levi crossed over to it, his wings fluttering quickly. This was unbelievable. It couldn’t be hers, but it was, just sitting here in the middle of the forest where only the Goddesses knew where they were. How did Eren know? Why did he fly out here? He pressed a hand to the metal—it was freezing cold but thrumming in rhythm, like a tiny heartbeat.  

 

_“Mamaí, what’re you doing.” Only his eyes could peek over the counter and he was already on his tip-toes! Why did she keep all the stands so high up?_

_His mother didn’t look up from her work, eyes trained on a ring in one hand and a needle in the other. “Quiet, Levi. Mamaí is working.”_

_“But what’re you doing? Can I help?”_

_“Did you already preen the gardens?” Again, she did not lift her eyes from the ring. She had other things on her desk, but they weren’t her regular work tools. There was a candle, one of her polished wooden sticks, and a stone chalice. What was she doing?_

_“Levi?”_

_“Oh. Yes, I did. All the flowers are clean.”_

_His mother closed her eyes for a moment, mumbling words quickly. He only caught a few names: Gwyddion, Cuchulain, and Balor. Levi stayed quiet as he watched her work. She poked the needle into her finger quickly before tracing the crisscrossing lines on the ring with it. Little greens, grays, and blues twinkled wherever the needle touched. And still, his mother kept her eyes shut, chanting still, as she followed the pattern. She twisted the ring to its front and placed the needle down on the countertop. Without stopping her chants, she pressed the finger she poked to the front design. _

_Oh!_

_Levi breathed in awe. He knew what she was doing. He always read the red book cover to cover when Mamai would bring him to the shop for the day. Her desk was an altar—she was practicing magic._

_His mother exhaled, extinguishing the candle, and slumped over the desk slightly._

_Levi pushed against the counter, managing to just prop an elbow over the side. “Mamaí?”_

_She smiled at him, her eyes open but only just. “I am okay, my little one. I just used a lot of energy.”_

_Levi extended his arm over the counter to graze his fingers along her arm. She felt so cold. “Are you going to be okay?”_

_She pressed her face into his fingers, her lips pressing them softly. “I will be just fine. I was making a charm. I’ll tell you more about it once I finish up, okay? But for now, can you go pick me some berries from the garden please?” Levi nodded and pulled his hand back carefully before dashing out of the room. He’d pick the best berries she’d ever eaten!_

 

"This is hers,” Levi said. How could he have forgotten his mother was a witch? Wasn’t magic in his family, like what Eren said? No, that was another problem for later. He could just ask his mother about it after he rescued her. He opened his eyes—when had they shut?—and walked around the perimeter of the ring, tracing along the knotwork his mother had carefully carved. He came to the front and crouched down to investigate.

"Are you certain this is of your mother’s possessions?” Eren followed behind Levi, wings fluttering too.

"I am. Look,” Levi nodded his head towards the intricately carved front design as he let his palm ghost across its surface. “It’s an A. She used her lifeblood to arrange the metalwork to form an A and the deities she evoked engrained the colors. That’s why they’re still shining even though it’s been years. Her life is tied to it. I can even feel her heartbeat.” Levi looked up at Eren, but the faerie was staring at the bluebells. “Eren, I want to take it with me.”

"You need not my permission, though you should probably shrink it.”

"But how—”

“Visualize and request, Levi. It is no different than the grass.” Eren’s brow was furrowed now. Was there something out there? Levi looked back to the ring—focus; he could clear up whatever Eren was thinking about later. Levi closed his eyes. He saw the ring on his mother’s finger; it was a snug fit. Now, he wanted the same thing. A snug fit for his own finger with this ring. His gut grew cold for a moment. He wanted this ring to fit his third finger. The coldness grew colder—he was almost there. He wanted this—no, he wanted more. He wanted this ring to fit his finger _and_ guide him to his mother. The coldness snapped inside him and Levi gasped as his eyes shot open.

He was seated on the ground, so at the very most, he must have fallen out of his crouch. No matter. Levi opened his right palm, which was clenched in a tight fist. There it was—his mother’s ring shrunken down and sized for him. Now, he just had to see if it would guide him…

"Levi, stand. Hurry!” Eren was still staring at the bluebell hedge, his wings fully extended and flattened against his back.

Levi scrambled to his feet and slipped the ring on his middle finger. “What happened? Is something coming?”

Eren grabbed Levi’s hand again and dragged him along towards the bluebell hedge. “Yes. I knew here seemed too magical. Of course, many would dwell in such a place. We must leave now.”

"What’s coming?” Levi said as Eren plunged them through the hedge. He pulled them through with no finesse, only narrowly dodging stems but caring not the slightest for the other shrubbery. Levi tumbled out of the hedge, nearly losing his footing but flapped his wings hard to keep his balance. “Eren, what’s going on? It’s black everywhere, I can barely see a thing.”

“It’d part of its magic,” Eren said, his voice trembling. His hand was beginning to grow slick in Levi’s.

“Of what’s magic?”

Eren lifted his lone hand and pointed in front of them. “That.”

Levi tried to follow where Eren was pointing but it was so fucking dark. There was a bob of yellow light a ways in front of them, if they could just get a little closer then—

Oh.

“It’s just a wisp,” Levi said, tension draining from his stiff wings and shoulders. “You had me worried for a second.”

"You should be!” Eren squeezed Levi’s hand harder and looked around. His hand was growing sweatier by the moment as he started breathing faster. “Fuck, I have not a course of action. I know not what to do.”

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand back and looked at him. “Eren.”

"We are certain to die here today. I am truly sorry, Levi. I have only guided you to The Dark Plain.”

Levi brought his free hand to cup the side of Eren’s face and angle it towards him. He’d never seen Eren scared or even this intense about anything before. His forehead was beaded with sweat and his eyes were nearly as shifty as his wings. He just needed some help to calm down and Levi could do that.

"Eren, look at me.” Eren’s eyes flickered over to meet Levi’s for only a moment, but once was better than none. “Eren, it’s just a wisp. I won’t let it hurt you and it won’t hurt us.”

"But…no, you’re…you don’t know—”

“Wisps are the reason I’m a faery,” Levi said as he stroked Eren’s cheek before letting the hand drop.  “It’s okay. It’s just fine. Here, I’ll prove it.”

“No! Please, Levi do not—!” Eren squeezed Levi’s hand but it was too slick to keep a tight grip. Levi smiled as he snatched his hand back and flitted away from Eren, who was too terrified to move. This would help Eren and get them moving again. With the magical darkness, it was impossible to tell what time it was. The sun had already risen when they had found the ring. Who knew how much time had passed since then? He walked towards the wisp, hand extended.

"Levi! Stop!”

"Hello,” Levi said to the wisp. It bobbed once and changed colors, now presenting a purple glow. “I’ve met wisps before that led me astray but closer to the truth. Will you lead me to the only truth now and show me where my mother lays?” The wisp bobbed and vanished, only to reappear closer to the snow-covered tree line at the edge of the clearing. Its new color was green as it bobbed alone.

"Levi… I have no trust in it,” Eren said from a few paces behind Levi. “Ask again.”

"Come closer to me and I will.”

"Do not make me. Please.”

Levi turned to Eren. He managed a few steps but stood frozen in place, staring at the wisp with wide eyes and twitching wings, hands clenching and unclenching. Levi sighed and walked over to him, wings flapping slowly. “Eren, you said you didn’t know what to do after this, yes?” Eren nodded, though it looked more like a jerk of his head. Levi tried to suppress his smile and took Eren’s hands again. “Look, I have a good feeling about this. Like you said about the forest showing things, I think this wisp is here to show us the way. So I’ll ask again, but you have to come with me wherever it leads.”

Eren kept his eyes on the wisp as he spoke. “B-But they are will-‘o-the-wisps. They are trouble.”

"That’s for humans.”

"But how do you know? I-I cannot remember, but the wisps…they are not bearers of good news, Levi.”

“This is my only shot to finding my mother. I have to follow them—wherever they take me—and I will with or without you.” Eren looked at Levi, his eyes full of alarm. Levi just rubbed his thumbs along the back of Eren’s hands. “Don’t force me to make a decision.”

“Do not…do that. Do not venture alone. I want to protect you.”

"Then promise me you’ll stay with me.”

Eren fidgeted, wings fluttering in quick succession. “Did I not already promise you such things. I shall always stay with you, Levi.”

“So you’ll follow me?”

Eren furrowed his brow and flapped his wings three times quickly before huffing. “I will never abandon you when you need me, Levi.”

This fucking lovable idiot. Levi smiled wide and pulled Eren close as he stepped closer to the wisp. It still bobbed green and rested near the edge of the clearing.

Okay. Maybe if he just gave his name, the wisp would change colors to blue. So far, only the blue lighted wisp revealed pathways. Squaring his shoulders and flattening his wings against his back, Levi faced the lone wisp. “I never identified myself. I am Levi, last of the Ackerman clan and outcast of the Wallist Village. I seek my mother, Kuchel Ackerman, to break the curse that has existed in our family since our arrival.” The wisp bobbed once more and vanished, reappearing closer to the edge of the bluebell hedge. Its color was a blue more ethereal than any previous glow. Like before, a trail of wisps extended behind it.

"Come on, Eren,” Levi said as he pulled Eren along with him towards the path of wisps.

           

 

The wisps went deep into the forest. Their magical blackness blotted out the sky entirely, only their blue light allowed them to see. Eren kept his grip firm on Levi’s hand as they crept forward.

"Are you okay?” Levi shot Eren a glanced over his shoulder as he hoisted his way over a thick tree root.

“No,” Eren said with a clipped tone. “I strongly dislike will-‘o-wisps. The closer I get to these dreadful creatures, the more I am able to remember.”

“That’s great!”

“No, it is not.” Levi glanced up at Eren. His face was pinched together, and a shadow covered most of it. Maybe these weren’t good memories for him. “I was stolen. Men—human men—came for me in the night. They took me in the forest and became lost. I took my chance to escape when they were not paying attention. But I too became lost in the dark. The wisps found me, a child, and led me astray to a formation of rocks. I have never left this forest since.”

Levi swallowed and squeezed Eren’s hand again. “Eren, I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I only held Gabi once.”

“Eren—”

"So much I wanted to show her. So much she could have learned from me.”

"Eren.” Levi stopped and cupped Eren’s face. He lowered it until their foreheads were touching. “Who was the one who said to focus on the present?” he murmured. Eren’s eyes were still glazed over, looking for a family that wasn’t there. “You’re just remembering a lot at once. Focus on me, on my voice, on my touch.”

"But, Gabi—”

“No. Me. Think about me. Why are you here with me? Why did you come?” The shadows on Eren’s face were growing longer. But there was so sun to grow the shadows. If they were changing, then—. No. Please don’t tell him… Levi glanced at the wisps beside them. Sure enough, the light was beginning to diminish, the wisps taking their light back. Wisps were easy to understand but unforgiving; if he didn’t hurry along the trail, he’d lose the way to his mother forever. But, if he left Eren here, would he even be able to make the trip without him? Would he be okay without him? Could Eren even forgive him of doing such a thing? Fuck that, would he even be able to leave him in the first place? He’d hate himself for the rest of his life for giving his mother up, but he wouldn’t be able to leave him here. Then he’d grow to resent Eren forever and lose them both.

“Levi,” Eren said, voice slow. “I am with Levi. You are of the Ackerman clan.”

“Yes, yes I am.” Levi squinted to make out Eren’s face. Dammit, they were really running out of time. Levi dragged Eren forward as he turned and began following the lights, wings flapping quickly to try and speed them along. “Keep talking, Eren. Who am I? Why are you here with me?”

“We are searching. I am helping you search for…for whom?”

“You tell me!” The light was still dimming. Why was it still dimming? He was following the trail, wasn’t he! Were they nearing the end of the trail?  

“For my mother—”

“No!”

"Your mother?”

"Yes!” Levi swallowed around the lump in his throat, tears stinging the backs of his eyes. The wisps were nearly gone and only the Mother Goddess knew what their black magic would do to them. Eren wasn’t moving fast enough and he couldn’t fly them out. This couldn’t really be it. Wasn’t he the Ackerman to finally break the curse? Didn’t that mean he’d find his mother alive?

“Eren. Weren’t you supposed to help me realize my birthright?”

“Yes. Yes, that I remember.”

“Well, you’re doing a shitty job at it.”

“I am…I am—“ Eren stopped walking and blinked. He swayed slightly in place, wings fluttering before placing a hand on his head and groaning. “I-I have returned. My deepest regrets, I could not shake the past from me. There was so much—”

“We can talk about that later,” Levi said, his wings trembling. They had such little time left. “Look, the wisps are about to disappear and we still need to follow the path but—hey!” Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s rear and hoisted him up. “What are you doing? This isn’t the time for that!”

“I know, but we have not a moment to lose.” Without waiting for Levi to adjust, Eren flapped his wings hard, lifting them both off the ground. The air was cold as it nicked Levi’s flesh through the looser knots in his weaving. He really should’ve paid better attention in his schooling. But perhaps it wasn’t the cold air as much as it was the sharp tendrils of the shadows. Their long, misshapen shadows clawed at them as Eren flew, hovering only a finger’s width above the wisps. This blackness was magic too, literal dark magic, but it wasn’t the same as the wisps’ darkness. Again, it was too cold. It stabbed his lungs every time he took a breath but it wasn’t the same as before—and Eren was taking the full extent of it. Levi twisted his hands into Eren’s shirt and leaned his head away from the warmth of Eren’s chest.

“Eren, be careful! The darkness is—”

“You need not worry. Magic like this only saps the strength of a normal faerie.” Eren tightened his grasp around Levi, pulled him even tighter to his body as he flapped his wings harder, pushing them faster through the air. Levi’s hair whipped wildly in the spirit of their haste.

“What do you mean a normal faerie?”

“There are faeries and then there are faeries like me.”

Levi clicked his tongue. Why was Eren being so damn elusive? “Let me guess, faeries like you are the reason no other Ackerman has been able to break this curse?”

Eren didn’t glance down, eyes darting around at the scenery rushing past them. “That is a speculation one could make, yes.”

“What kind of faerie are you then?” Levi kept his body loose in Eren’s grasp but focused his eyes only on Eren’s face. He watched the conflict pass over it—the smallest twitch of Eren’s mouth and the slightest of furrowing of his brow. He was hiding something alright, and it didn’t seem like something light. Levi swallowed around the lump in his throat and tried to breathe around the hole in his chest. He saw the truth in Eren’s wings. He could swear on his life to the Triple Goddess that Eren would never hurt him. He saw it, knew it, and trusted it. “Seriously, Eren. What kind are you?”

“We can talk about this later,” Eren said, eyes unwavering from the tree roots and brush they flew through. “The wisp light is nearly gone, and the way of the wisps is into the ground.”

“The ground—?”

“A tunnel.”

Levi tore his eyes away from Eren’s face and scanned the ground. The blackness nearly engulfed them, but there, directly under them, the faintest of blue light bobbed, like little tongues of a flickering flame on a candle whose wick was doused in wax and cut entirely too short.  But like Eren said, it led to a carved hole in the dirt that plunged into the earth and resurfaced who-knew-where.

“Should I follow it? We won’t know where to go inside it.”

“I’ll know.” The words tumbled from Levi’s mouth before he could even think them. But his voice was strong. He glanced at his mother’s ring flashing on his hand. He envisioned it and requested it into being. Now was the moment of truth. “Don’t even hesitate to go into The Dark Plain. We’re seeing this through.” Eren nodded and held Levi tightly as he pressed his wings together and plummeted into the hole. Levi clenched his teeth as they freefell; no screams would escape him today. At the last moment, Eren spread his wings again and glided just over the ground.

“With haste, jump off!”

Levi unwrapped his arms the same moment as Eren and fell to the ground, wings flapped sporadically as the soft dirt cushioned his body’s impact. Eren flapped his wings quickly as he came to a running halt on his feet—a much smoother landing. Levi pushed himself off the ground and started beating the dirt from his woven clothing before Eren could speed over and try to preen him. He straightened the ring on his finger—it was warm to the touch from his body heat. Now he just needed it to get cold and direct them. It wouldn’t fail him—hopefully.

“You good, Eren?” Levi finally looked up, eyes searching for those spotty teals and iridescent greens.

“Yes, I landed better than you.”

“I just asked if you were okay. You don’t have to be so smug about it.”

Eren cracked a smile but lost it almost as quickly as he gained it. “There! Behind you lies the last wisp.”

Levi spun around, wings fluttering. Sure enough, there bobbed a single large wisp, its light blinding yet a gentle soft orange. He saw that wisp before, that color. “This isn’t a wisp to my mother,” he looked back at Eren, a smile creeping on his face. If he was seeing an orange wisp, then he was doing something right. “This is our way out. We’re in the right place.” Levi took Eren’s hand in his own again and began to walk down the tunnel. The dirt was soft under their leaf covered feet.

“How do you know the right way?”

“This is the only way right now,” Levi said as he twisted the ring with his thumb. “It has to be the right one.”

“No, I mean the fork ahead.”

Levi squinted ahead of them. All of the wisps were snuffed out, their bobbing flames extinguished. How could Eren see anything? “Where?”

Eren raised their hands and pointed in front of them, but Levi still couldn’t see a thing. “It is right there, in front of us both.”

“I can’t see shit that far ahead; it’s too dark down here. How can you?”

Eren paused a moment before answering, his wings twitching. “It goes left or right. Which way do you think leads us to your mother?”

Another aversion. Levi frowned; the answer was probably related to what kind of faerie Eren was. But why was he hiding it? Was he afraid of it? Embarrassed? It was just him, just Levi. He wasn’t going to judge him about it. Maybe he needed to hear that?

“Eren?”

“Yes, Levi?”

“You know you don’t have to change the subject every time your faery type gets brought up.” Levi felt Eren’s hand twitch in his own. “I’m not going to judge you if you got a bad luck of the draw.”

“You know not of what you speak.”

“Try me.”

Eren sighed, wings flapping once with power then again, softly. “Another time, Levi. Words are powerful and in the dark even more so. We must keep our concentration, for the fork is approaching. Which way shall we go?”

Levi glanced at the ring. He wasn’t entirely sure how this was supposed to work but… He pressed the warm metal to his lips and closed his eyes. “Show me to her. Kuchel Ackerman: florist, witch, and mother. Show me.” He barely finished speaking before the metal began to freeze, sucking the summerlike warmth and humidity out of the air around them and turning it all to ice. But the ring itself wasn’t just growing cold. Stabbing pinpricks of iciness probed his left arm, starting faintly in his fingertips. His left wing twitched as the coldness spread to his back. This had to be the sign, she had to be on the left. “Left. That’s the way we need to go.”

“What is your certainty?”

“I’m certain,” Levi said. He couldn’t allow himself to second-guess his choice and end up mistaking the right way. “Let’s go.” Levi stepped forward and tugged Eren’s hand. “It’s hard to tell how time has passed, and we can’t afford to find out the hard way.”

Eren nodded and stepped forward with Levi, running his thumb along the back of Levi’s hand. When had he even slipped his hand in his own? Levi shivered at the touch; Eren was so warm. Maybe he was a summer type faerie? If those even existed.  

“Levi.”

Levi glanced up at Eren. “Yeah?”

“What shall you do when you save your mother?”

The ground was growing softer under their feet, footsteps nearly audible with the telltale “squish” to announce water’s presence. The air grew warmer as well, almost rendering Levi’s grass sweater useless and sparking memories of Midsummer’s night and the giant fire he and the other villagers enjoyed. But none of these things caught Levi’s attention. What _would_ he do? What had he done since she left? Did he do anything? Truly? He ran the shop—but with his mother’s return, who’d ask for the apprentice when they could have the master? He wasn’t going back to school—let Hanji be the academic between the two of them. But that assumed they would go back to the village. And if they went back, would Eren still be a part of his life? Levi wanted him to be, that much he was certain. Eren offered him a glimpse into a future all for himself, where he didn’t have to think about his family or finding his mother or being an outcast. But with his mother being alive and coming back…what could remain of that future? Could he even go back to living with his mother like they used to? Nothing would be the same. He wasn’t eight anymore; he grew up. And what would she be like after all these years too? And if he turned back into a human somehow, Eren wouldn’t, so where would that leave them? Would Eren leave? Would they be done and over before they even had a proper chance to begin? Did he even want that?

“Levi!” A hand blocked his chest and Levi snapped out of his trance. Right. One step at a time. First, he had to free his mother. Then, he could figure his future. “Look. In the roots of that Elder tree, there lies a hut built with stone and ivy.” Levi swallowed. This was it. She was right inside. All he had to do was bring her out, bring her home. “Go on,” Eren said, releasing Levi’s trembling hand. “Call for me when you are ready. I shall wait for you in this spot.”

Levi nodded, his eyes trained on the hut. His wings couldn’t stop twitching as he stepped forward. And suddenly, he knew everything. They were in an open cavern filled with moss and grass. Meadowsweet and honeysuckle grew in abundance, making the air fragrant and smell just like her. It was stifling hot, something he would expect near Midsummer, not Yule. With every step he took towards the front door, there was the telltale squish of the damp earth. The air was silent in spite of the warmth—not a bug buzzed, nor a bird chirped. All of this was the work of magic—heavy magic, at that. So much so that he could taste it, his tongue tingling with its faint bite.

Somehow, he was already at the front door. Had he always been so close? He reached his left hand out, shaking. The ring gleamed in the beam of a sourceless light. The grays, blues, and greens shining brightly. It was time to give it back to her, to Mamaí. Time to give so much back to Mamaí.

But he couldn’t. He was stuck.

He couldn’t push the door open. What if she wasn’t there again? What if she was? What if she didn’t want him again? No, she always wanted him. So then, what if she did? What if he wanted to stay with her? What about Eren? What if he did leave? Eren wouldn’t hurt him, but if his mother was there to help him now, would he still feel the urge to stay with him? Did Eren even care about him at all? He did, he did, he did! Levi curled his hand into fist and rested it against the door.

Dammit.

He was overreacting. He just had to open the fucking door. Just open it!

“Cuchulain, Isolde, Ossian, Ratis, Sin…please, lend me your power.” Levi wasn’t a witch. He didn’t have an altar to pray at. He didn’t have anything to offer the gods he was trying to invoke. He just had himself and the fears he harbored. He didn’t want to be abandoned again. He couldn’t bear it. Hopefully, that would be enough for them. It was all he had left. Levi took one final breath, opened his fist, and pushed the door open.

A dim yellow light illuminated the walls. They were white. A flat stone sat in the middle of the room, taking up most of the space. A small thorn lay on top of it, grass wrapped around one of its ends. Levi glanced down at his own weapon—a thorn wrapped with grass on one end. Like mother like son. He looked around the room. No one else was there, though it didn’t quite seem like someone else could even fit inside the room. The stone took up too much space.

Levi jolted.

This…looked like the kitchen. At home. At their real home. And if that was the case then the bedroom had to be—he glanced to the right. Like at home, a small hallway extended to another door that was already ajar. Levi’s wings fluttered as he began walking down the hall. He could hear a soft humming coming from the room. His eyes stung as he hurried his pace. This had to be her, it had to be, had to be, had to be.

He slowed his pace as he walked into the doorframe, pushing the door open.

And there she was.

Two thick braids coiled in her lap as she sat cross-legged on the bed, dressed in green and white.

Delicate translucent blue wings, even smaller and frailer than his own, adorned her back, flapping slowly—not a tear or rip to be found.  

Clothes laid all around her as she continued to weave up a storm. Levi looked at her hands—no source material to be found. She was literally spinning it out of thin air.

Her eyes were open, but glassy.

She opened her mouth as she finished the tunic she was weaving and began to sing. “Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe—Open you, the West Door, and turn the Old Year go.”

Levi knew that song. He knew it. It was the Yule song he could never remember the lyrics to, the one he hummed when he weaved too, and the one she still sang when she wove. He sniffled once and couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. The warmth she brought, the comfort. His every worry washed away. He was home, finally _finally_ home! She’d never choose to leave him. She loved him more than anything.

“Mamaí?” he said, voice cracking. Kuchel stiffened her back, wings stilling. She stopped weaving, hands frozen.

“Where am I? Where did you take me? I need to get back to my little one. It’s his birthday tomorrow, I can’t be gone long. It’s not every year one turns nine years old.”

“Mamaí? No, look at me,” Levi said as he walked over to her side, immediately taking her hand in his own. Her hands were softer than he remembered. Though, he doubted she was using her hands for much more than weaving now without the flower shop. She didn’t look frail either, thank the Goddess. “It took me a while, but I’m here. I’m finally here. Can you see me?”

But she wouldn’t look at him. Her eyes were still glazed over, despite her growing frustration. She slipped her hand out of his grip and leapt off the bed, eyebrows furrowed.  “Levi? Is that my baby? I need to get back to my baby!” She wrung her hands together as she started pacing along the floor. “No, no, no, I have to get back. It’s his birthday in the morning. If I’m not there, he’ll be all alone, my little one! I need to go home!” She tugged at her waist-length braids and looked at the door. Why wasn’t she looking right in front of her. He was here. He found her. She should be fine now. They were supposed to reunite and go home now. Instead, she set her jaw and began walking towards the door, her long green dress swishing against the floor. But the moment she reached the bedroom doorframe, her footsteps faltered and she swayed, wings spasming. Levi stood and hurried over to her side.

“Mamaí? Are you alright?”

Kuchel turned and finally faced him. A new smile was on her face, crows’ feet Levi never remembered seeing appeared by her eyes as the smile grew. But something was wrong. Her face was completely relaxed, all trace of her distress gone. Her eyes looked in his direction, but they looked past him. She couldn’t see him. Levi swallowed around the lump in his throat and the pieces clicked together.

She wasn’t free yet. The curse wasn’t lifted.  

Kuchel began to sing again, her hands playing with the embroidered knotwork on the hem of her sleeve. “Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe—Open you, the West Door, and turn the Old Year go.” She smiled and turned away from Levi, walking back towards the bed, her hands reaching for the tunic she was weaving before.

This wasn’t good. He lost track of the time when the wisps blotted out the sky. For all he knew, she could have only a couple of hours left. He had to get her out of the house. Being here with her wasn’t enough, he had to take her somewhere.

“Alright, Mamaí. I know you don’t know who I am right now, but you will soon. I promise.” With that, Levi grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. She moved swiftly behind him, humming to herself still and wings fluttering slightly faster. He had to get her out of the house, back to the tunnel. That’s where the wisp was. Maybe it was supposed to take them somewhere they needed to go. The Triple Goddess already worked miracles for them in the past, hopefully she’d pull off another one tonight. Levi kicked open the front door and pulled himself and Kuchel through it before it could swing shut again. Once they touched the moss outside, Kuchel let out a shriek.

“What are you doing? My gardens, my son! You’ve made me leave my son!”

Levi blinked and spared a glance over his shoulder. She was twisting her wrist and beating his arm with her free fist, trying but failing to pull herself away. The magic was heavy here, but it wasn’t to keep intruders out; it was to keep her ignorant and happily imprisoned.

“I’m taking you to see your son,” Levi said through gritted teeth. “Stop fighting me.”

“You’re lying! You’re a trickster faery; my son is in his room. I just laid him to sleep. Tomorrow is his birthday! I have to be there for him when he wakes up! Stop this!”

Levi swallowed and turned around. She was stuck in the same few hours when she was taken. There wasn’t anyone in that bed, but she didn’t know any better. He blinked away the tears in his eyes. There wasn’t time for that anymore. He had to get her to the wisp, to Eren and the tunnel.

“Eren!”

The other faery turned at the summon, a smile on his face at the sight of Levi and his mother running back to meet him at the mouth of the tunnel. Wait. Eren’s smile lessened as Levi grew closer. He wasn’t smiling. And his mother was…fighting him? Something had gone wrong. Wings fluttering, Eren stood and flew to the edge of the mouth. “Levi, what is it?”

“She isn’t free yet,” he said as he ran past Eren into the dark. Eren flapped his wings hard and flew behind them. “We have to get her to the wisp. The orange one.”

“The orange one? The wisp at the tunnel’s start?”

“Yes. I’m sure it’ll lead us where we need to go.”

Eren nodded, though Levi wasn’t looking at him. “Very well.” Eren stared at their new companion as they raced through the tunnel. Her hair was long to her waist and divided into two braids—just like she was described in the prophecy. But her wings…

“Levi, we must hurry. Your mother has very little time left. Her wings are nearly completely gone.”

“What do you mean?” he shouted as they turned right and plunged into colder depths.

“A faery’s wings are never that translucent unless they are withered in age. When they reach such transparency, the wings are soon to turn to dust.”

“And a faery without wings is a dead one, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

 _Fuck._ “How much time do you think we have?”

Eren frowned. The wings were still there, He could see the framing veins too. But that’ wasn’t much to go on. “Maybe twenty or thirty minutes?”

Levi grit his teeth harder before sighing in relief. “Well, that’s okay because the wisp is right in front of me.” Sure enough the orange wisp was still there, bobbing in place and illuminating the entryway of the tunnel. “Eren, grab a hold of me!”

Eren lunged forward, snagging a grip on Levi’s shoulder as Levi extended his hand, fingertips grazing the edge of the wisp. He couldn’t help the gasp that found its way past his lips. Cold wrapped all around him, stabbing through his heart and soul as easily as icicles falling through the air. But, like before, as quickly as it started, it was over.

The ground was hard under Levi’s back. He groaned as he forced himself up to look around. His mother and Eren laid next to him on the ground as well, wings twitching. So the wisp did transport them, but where? Levi blinked his eyes, taking in everything. It was dark, but not the cold blackness from before. Like in the cavern, a summerlike heat surrounded them, fresh grass growing under them. This was a natural darkness. A breeze blew through, rustling his hair and revealing the moon’s light.

“Oh, Rhiannon…”

He knew this place. It was the rock formation that started him down this lousy road. Large pillars of stone that definitely did not belong to their forest surrounded them in a circle. Now that he was a faery, they looked even larger than before, looming over him. He let his eyes trail up until they reached the sky. The moon was full tonight, each of the Mother Goddesses looking down on them. Was this where he needed to bring his own mother?

“Levi, come,” Eren said, his voice hushed.

Levi turned around, blinking quickly so that his eyes could adjust. Eren somehow looked even more beautiful in the moon’s rays, his skin radiating its white glow. He wanted him. Wanted to rip his clothes from his body and worship it with the reverence he’d give to the Gods and Goddesses dwelling around them. Praise it with the cries that would escape his body as Eren did the same to him, giving him so much—

“Levi, hurry! Look!”

Levi shook his head. Where had those thoughts come from? It must be the magic, messing with his head. He turned and flitted over to Eren, who was sitting, staring at his mother. Eren looked fine, only a few hairs out of place. But if he was fine, then… Levi turned his eyes towards his mother. But instead of her body, there was only a mass of white light.

“What’s—?”

“I have not the faintest clue. I looked over to make sure she was well, but instead, this light grew from her wings. I do not think we should interfere. Let the light of the Mother Goddesses help her.” Eren’s wings flapped slowly as he extended an arm for Levi. Levi gladly let himself fall against Eren, his own wings twitching. He did everything he was supposed to do. He found her, brought her away from her containment, and followed the wisps back to the rocks.

“What if she doesn’t wake up?”

“She will.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do.” Eren ran his hand through Levi’s hair as they watched. “There is nothing more for us to do other than to wait.”

“But what if we were too late?”

“I assure you we were not.”

“But how do you know?”

Eren squeezed Levi close for a moment before releasing him and gesturing to the light. “Look with your eyes. Do you not see the light is retreating? Do you not see the color returning to your mother’s wings? Levi, all will be well.”

Levi squinted at the light that was his mother but saw nothing forming from it. Maybe it was another thing he wouldn’t be able to see as a normal faery. “I can’t see—”

Levi shut his eyes as the white light flashed brighter than the flash of several suns before faded out. He let his eyes remain closed as the dots behind his eyes faded slowly.

The air was silent again. Not a buzz nor chirp nor crack of a branch sounded. Nothing at all, until—

“Ugh, why do I feel like I summoned a hundred goddesses at once?”

Levi stiffened in Eren’s arms as his eyes shot open. That voice! He turned around, searching blindly until his gaze fell upon her.

There she was, sitting in front of him, eyes finally clear.

Kuchel sat in the grass, her green dress blending in with the grass under them. Small but vibrant purple wings spread behind her, fluttering restlessly. The moon’s rays kissed her skin, making her pale skin even paler, like a goddess. She hadn’t looked up yet. She was too busy investigating the grass beneath her and the fabric of her dress.

The clock was finally stilled. There was nothing to stop him anymore. Nothing at all.

“M-Mamaí?”

Kuchel stiffened and her head snapped up. Her eyes widened as she took sight of him, tears immediately pooling and falling down the sides of her face. She brought her hands to her mouth and began trembling. Levi could only manage a twitch of his lips before his throat closed up, tears stinging his eyes as well.

“Levi?”

He nodded and started towards her on his knees still. “I know I look a-a little different since the last time you saw me, but I’m still—”

He never got a chance to finish, before he was wrapped in the tightest hug he’d ever received from his mother. She tucked her head into his neck, muttering words he couldn’t understand between both of their sniffles and her frantic hands feeling whatever she could.

“I’m so sorry,” Kuchel said between sniffles and gasps for air. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled back to look Levi in the eyes. “I can never apologize enough for this, but I am so sorry, my little one.”

Her eyes were red-rimmed, and the tears seemed nowhere close to ending. But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was here, she was back, and she missed him as much as he missed her. Levi hugged her back fiercely, running his hands up and down her back. It felt so good to hold her and be held by her again. She was so warm and smelled like home—honeysuckle and meadowsweet. “Don’t apologize, Mamaí. It wasn’t your fault.”

Kuchel pulled back again and let out a laugh as she inspected him. “You look good, my little one. You’ve trained your body well.” She brushed her hand alongside his face, ruffling his hair. “But what’s this you’ve done with your hair? Where are your braids? And your weaving is terrible.” She pinched his ear sharply and twisted, Levi caving under her force.

“Ow, ow, ow! Mamaí! Let go!”

“You left school early, didn’t you? No self-respecting teacher would let you slide with this being all you’re capable of.” She tugged his ear once more before letting him go and pulling Levi back into her arms. “I still love you, regardless of what you look like now, skills you have or lack in, or anything else. I love you more than you can ever possibly know, Levi.”

Levi swallowed around the knot in his throat and nodded against Kuchel’s shoulder as he hugged her tightly as well. “I love you too, Mamaí,” he said quietly. “I really missed you.”

“I missed you too, my little one,” she said as she stroked his head, smoothing his ruffled hair back into place.

 

 

Eren picked at his shoes as Levi and his mother had their moment. There was laughter and tears, if the sniffles revealed anything. He was happy for Levi, truly. But, with his happiness came a weight in his stomach. What now? Levi never answered him earlier when he asked but the answer was obvious: he hadn’t thought that far yet. But what about now? An answer was needed because the future then was the present now. Would Levi leave with his mother? Would he want Eren to follow him? Levi didn’t know it yet, but Eren would do anything for him, even if that meant leaving per Levi’s request. He just needed to know Levi’s request now.

“Eren?”

Eren whipped around at the voice, wings flapping quickly as he hastily stood to meet the other standing pair. “Yes, Levi?”

Levi was smiling, holding his mother’s hand. Both of their eyes were red, but Eren just smiled. It was probably better not to mention that now. “I want you to meet my mother officially. Eren, Kuchel Ackerman. Mamaí, this is Eren, the faery I was lucky enough to meet who led me to you. He’s very important to me.”

Eren gave a slight bow and smiled. First impressions meant everything, after all. Kuchel smiled and curtseyed back with her dress skirt. “Eren, I am indebted to you for my entire—” Kuchel’s smile slackened as her body stiffened, dress falling from her hands.

Levi clutched her shoulders, balancing her body. “Mamaí?”

Kuchel’s eyes glowed blue—the same ethereal blue as the light of wisps—and the world around them fell into darkness again. “Eren, son of the Hunter clan Jaeger,” she said in a hard voice that was not her own. “Lose no hope for your family. For your selfless acts of bravery, I, Fionnuala, shall make you a brother again. Find your fae sister and seek your happiness.” As the last word left Kuchel’s mouth, the light was extinguished and the darkness lifted as if someone snapped their fingers, requesting it all to be gone. Levi caught his mother’s body as she crumpled, blood beginning to trickle down her nose. Levi pressed two fingers to her pulse, sighing in relief when he felt it racing. Blessings to the Mother Goddesses that she was just unconscious.

“What was that?” Levi said as he laid his mother down on her side.

“Redemption.”

Levi stood again, turning to face Eren. A large smile split his face as he blinked rapidly, keeping small beaded tears at bay. “What do you mean?”

“Did you not hear the good news? I am a brother again. Gabi has been revived as a fae!” Eren’s wings fluttered quickly, nearly lifting him off the ground.

Levi smiled with Eren, his own wings rustling in excitement. “That’s fantastic, Eren!”

“Indeed. But,” Eren grounded himself and grasped Levi’s hands. “My happiness will always include you, Levi.”

“What are you—?”

“Come with me. Let us search and scavenge this forest together. Please, bring Kuchel. I do want to understand her.”

“But—”

Eren squeezed Levi’s hands. “You both are still faeries. Please, come with me as we search. Once we find Gabi, we can live as a family: you and me, with your mother and my sister. A strange mix, but it shall be ours and ours alone. Perhaps one day we all may return to being humans.”

Levi stared into Eren’s eyes. Here was his solution on a silver platter. And Eren was right. He was not a human again, not even healed. But with Eren, he could both care for and get reacquainted with his mother again. And he could meet Gabi when they found her. But above all, he could stay with Eren. They could have their chance.

A smile found its way onto Levi’s tear-stained and rather dirty face. It had been quite a long day.

“Well? Where’s our first stop?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Underlined Terms: 
> 
> -The Isle of Nowhere: another name for the Otherworld (the place you go after death)  
> -Elder tree: has magical properties associated with exorcism, prosperity, banishing, and healing  
> -Gwyddion: deity whose aspect is wisdom and magic  
> -Cuchulain: deity whose aspect is strength and courage  
> -Isolde: deity whose aspect is making choices   
> -Ossian: deity whose aspect is courage   
> -Ratis: deity whose aspect is courage  
> -Sin: deity whose aspect is strength   
> -Balor: deity whose aspect is protection  
> -The Dark Plain: another name for the Otherworld  
> -Rhiannon: Her name translates to mean "divine" or "great queen" and is a symbol of fertility but also an Otherworld and death Goddess, bringer of dreams, and moon deity. In magic and ritual, she can aid in overcoming enemies, exercising patience, working magic, etc.  
> -Mother Goddesses: part of the Triple Goddess, these goddesses are also represented when the moon is in its full phase  
> -Fionnuala: when invoked in magic and ritual, she gives one strength to aid their family and keep them together

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: chibinico 
> 
> let me know how I did and what you think of the story so far! Thanks for reading!


End file.
